Social Security Benefits: Personal Records

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what types of personal information required to support claims for  (a) pension credit,  (b) housing benefit and  (c) council tax benefit will not be required in the future; and what assessment he has made of the effects of a reduction in the volume of information required on the time taken to (i) process such claims and (ii) clear the backlog in claims processing.

Mike O'Brien: We have already reduced duplication in the provision of personal information for people claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit over the phone with pension credit. The Pension Service fill in a short claim form on the customer's behalf and the income and savings information supplied for the pension credit application is used for the housing benefit and council tax benefit claim.
	And from October 2008, we are proposing to further streamline this claims process, so that no claim form for housing benefit or council tax benefit will be required. The housing benefit and council tax benefit information will be collected by The Pension Service and automatically passed to the relevant local authority to assess entitlement.
	There are no proposals to change the types of personal information that are required to process claims for pension credit, housing benefit or council tax benefit. However, the types of personal information required to process claims to pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit are kept under review to ensure that where possible requirements are simplified relieving the burden on customers, whilst continuing to protect public funds.

Legislation

David Amess: To ask the Leader of the House 
	(1)  how many copies of the Draft Legislative Programme 2008-09 have been provided gratis; to whom; at what cost; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what provision is in place for the amendment of the Draft Legislative Programme 2008-09 following consultation; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  whether any bills were  (a) changed and  (b) dropped from the legislative programme following consultation on the Draft Legislative Programme 2007-08; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: A total of 2,000 copies of the Draft Legislative Programme were provided gratis to all Members of both Houses and key stakeholders at a cost of approximately £24,000. A full 12-week consultation period on the draft programme is in progress until 6 August after which we will respond in the autumn and comments made will be taken into account in considering the content of the next Queen's Speech. The changes from the DLP and the final programme are a matter of public record and are set out on pages 7-8 of the Government's Draft Legislative Programme—Taking a Wider View (Cm 7248) which was published in November.

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether measures are in place to ensure service personnel are offered  (a) priority and  (b) first refusal in buying (i) their accommodation and (ii) other service accommodation that is being sold off;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of Annington Homes' service accommodation units that have been sold have been bought by  (a) service personnel and  (b) service families since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The majority of service family accommodation properties in England and Wales are owned by Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL) and leased by the Department until there is no longer a defence use for them when they are handed back to AHL for disposal on the open market. While there is no obligation on AHL to offer discounts to current or former service personnel when selling its properties, it has in the past offered certain incentives, concessions or priority to personnel voluntarily. We understand that between 25 and 30 per cent. of properties have been sold in this way.
	Surplus non-AHL residential properties in the United Kingdom are normally sold on the open market through competition in accordance with Treasury guidance in order to achieve the maximum receipt for the tax-payer. For these reasons, the Department is not able to offer priority, first refusal or discounts to service personnel. However, potential options are currently being explored to determine whether greater assistance might be given to service personnel. Currently, we are mindful of local needs and accordingly properties may be sold either individually or, in some cases, in bulk to local authorities or other registered social landlords as appropriate.

Armed Forces: Mental Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel were diagnosed with mental health problems in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The information for each year since 1997 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) have published two armed forces psychiatric morbidity reports which provide figures for the periods January to March 2007 and April to June 2007. Copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
	Kings college, London also publishes papers on military health research, which include mental health issues, and these can be obtained at the following link:
	http://www.kcl.ac.uk/kcmhr/information/publications/publications.html#stress_ptsd

Central Africa: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether EUFOR Tchad/CAR has reached full operational capability;
	(2)  what progress has been made in the EU's military missions in Chad and Central African Republic; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The deployment of the EU military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic is progressing on schedule and there are now over 2,500 troops in theatre. Initial operating capability was achieved on 15 March and the operation commander intends the operation to reach full operational capability by the end of June 2008.
	The increasing presence of EUFOR troops on the ground has been broadly welcomed by international NGOs and UN agencies and the EUFOR mission is continuing to establish effective liaison with the UN on the parallel deployment of the UN policing mission (MINURCAT).
	A joint EU/UN Technical Assessment Mission (TAM) will take place in June 2008. This will feed into the UN Secretary-General's mid-mandate report on EUFOR in September, which will identify follow-on options. This review process will provide a formal assessment of progress that has been made under EUFOR Tchad/RCA so far.

London Airports

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times his Department hired VIP facilities at  (a) Heathrow,  (b) Gatwick,  (c) Luton and  (d) Stansted airports in each month since May 2006; and what the expenditure on VIP facilities at each was in each of those months.

Derek Twigg: Based on the Ministry of Defence's available records since May 2006, there were 109 official Defence bookings at a cost of £30,425.99.
	A monthly breakdown of official usage, with cost (inclusive of value added tax) is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Bookings from May 2006 to May 2008 
			   Number of bookings  Cost (£) 
			  Heathrow   
			  2006   
			 May 3 808.89 
			 June 9 2,426.67 
			 July 5 1,348.15 
			 August 0 0.00 
			 September 9 2,426.67 
			 October 1 269.63 
			 November 2 539.26 
			 December 4 1,078.52 
			  2007   
			 January 4 1,078.52 
			 February 3 808.89 
			 March 1 1,887.41 
			 April 8 2,157.04 
			 May 4 1,078.52 
			 June 3 808.89 
			 July 8 2,157.04 
			 August 4 1,078.52 
			 September 6 1,617.78 
			 October 7 1,887.41 
			 November 3 808.89 
			 December 4 1,078.52 
			  2008   
			 January 2 539.26 
			 February 3 808.89 
			 March 4 1,078.52 
			 April 4 1,692.00 
			 May 0 0.00 
			 Total 107 29,463.89 
			
			  Gatwick   
			  2006   
			 May-December 0 0.00 
			  2007   
			 January 0 0.00 
			 February 1 480.80 
			 March to October 0 0.00 
			 November 1 480.80 
			 December 0 0.00 
			  2008   
			 January-May 0 0.00 
			 Total 2 961.60 
			
			  Luton   
			  2006   
			 May to December 0 0.00 
			  2007   
			 January to December 0 0.00 
			  2008   
			 January to May 0 0.00 
			 Total 0 0.00 
			
			  Stansted   
			  2006   
			 May to December 0 0.00 
			  2007   
			 January to December 0 0.00 
			  2008   
			 January to May 0 0.00 
			 Total 0 0.00

Royal Navy Vessels

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) estimate he has made of the volume and  (b) assessment he has made of the types of outputs that arise from treatment by pyrolysis of wastes from Royal Navy vessels at sea; how these outputs are treated; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: A development programme for installing pyrolysis systems onto Royal Navy vessels, to process food and general waste, including paper, cardboard, tin cans, and plastic, is currently underway. During a successful period of shore based testing, waste volume reductions in excess of 85 per cent. and mass reductions of 50 per cent. have been achieved.
	Starting later this year, the pyrolysis system will begin a 12 month sea trial onboard HMS OCEAN and it is anticipated that the typical daily volume of general waste produced on the vessel could be reduced by up to half. If the sea trials are successful, there are plans to fit the system to the other vessels in the Fleet.
	There are two by-products of the pyrolysis process, a solid residue and waste gas. The solid residue cannot be discharged into the sea under MARPOL regulations so it will be sealed in steel pails and stored onboard the vessel until they can be removed to landfill sites. The gas produced is well within the requirement of MARPOL regulations and the onboard processing unit will further refine it to bring it well within the parameters of more stringent land based regulations, before release.

Royal Navy Vessels

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) assessment he has made of the types and  (b) estimate he has made of the volume of residues from the treatment of wastes which were discharged at sea by Royal Navy vessels in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: Records of discharges of wastes from Royal Navy vessels are retained onboard. The RN does not routinely collate or estimate the total volumes of waste streams which are discharged at sea. Wastes are discharged in accordance with IMO Marine Pollution regulations.

Credit: Access

Si�n Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of consumers of working age experiencing difficulties gaining access to consumer credit, excluding mortgages, from mainstream providers as a result of the state of the credit market.

Gareth Thomas: We do not have specific statistics relating to estimates of working age consumers experiencing consumer credit difficulties.
	However, the Bank of England report total debt write-off for 2007 of 6,807 million, a small increase on 2006 (6,749 million). In the last quarter of 2007 (latest data available), a total of 1,616 million debt was written off compared to 1,986 million in quarter 4 2006.
	We remain very concerned to help those suffering from debt problems. In the last spending period, over 50 million was spent on face-to-face debt advice, for those experiencing difficulties with consumer credit, by BERR and MOJ. This will increase to 90 million in the period April 2005 to March 2011. Help is aimed at the financially excluded, of whatever age, and so far around 120,000 over-indebted clients have been helped, up until the end of March. BERR and MOJ will also support the National Debtline this year with grants of 1.75 million.

Alcoholic Drinks: Licensing

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times the maximum fine was levied against a licensee for persistently selling alcohol to under-age people in each of the last two years.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	The offence of persistently selling alcohol to children under section 147a of the Licensing Act 2003 was commenced in 2006. As yet there is no data available for this offence.
	The following table covers the offence of selling etc. intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises.
	
		
			  Offenders( 1)  given fines and number given the maximum fine for selling intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises, magistrates courts, England and Wales, 2005-06. England and Wales 
			  Number of offenders 
			2005  2006 
			  Offence description  Statute  Total number fined  Number receiving maximum fine( 2)  Total number fined  Number receiving maximum fine( 2) 
			 Selling etc. intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises Licensing Act 1964 SS.169A  169B as added by Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 S.1 Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 S.3 [Sch.Para.4(1)] 660 1 438 7 
			 (1) Companies, public bodies etc. (2) The maximum fine is 1,000.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source:  RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice, 17 April 2008. Ref: AHA145-08

Departmental NDPBs

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list  (a) his Department's non-departmental public bodies and  (b) those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department has agreed new funding agreements for the next (i) year and (ii) three years.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 2 June 2008
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is directly responsible for 54 non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), of which there are 42 executive NDPBs, 11 advisory and one tribunal NDPB. These are as follows:
	 Executive NDPBs
	Arts Council England
	Big Lottery Fund
	British Library
	British Museum
	Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
	Culture East Midlands
	Culture North East
	Culture Northwest
	Culture South East
	Culture South West
	Culture West Midlands
	English Heritage
	Football Licensing Authority
	Gambling Commission
	Geffrye Museum
	Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust
	Horserace Betting Levy Board
	Imperial War Museum
	Living East
	Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester
	Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
	National Gallery
	National Heritage Memorial Fund
	National Lottery Commission
	National Maritime Museum
	National Museum of Science and Industry
	National Museums Liverpool
	National Portrait Gallery
	Natural History Museum
	Olympic Delivery Authority
	Olympic Lottery Distributor
	Public Lending Right
	Royal Armouries
	Sir John Soane's Museum
	Sport England
	Tate
	UK Film Council
	UK Sport
	Victoria and Albert Museum
	VisitBritain
	Wallace Collection
	Yorkshire Culture
	 Advisory NDPBs
	Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites
	Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships
	Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection
	Advisory Council on Libraries
	Legal Deposit Advisory Panel
	Public Lending Right Advisory
	Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art
	Spoliation Advisory Panel
	Theatres Trust
	Treasure Valuation Committee
	VisitEngland
	 Tribunal NDPB
	Horserace Betting Levy Appeal Tribunal for England and Wales
	We share responsibility for the Design Council with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
	Most of these executive NDPBs will be required to have a funding agreement. Work is well in hand to finalise the drafts. The majority should achieve formal signature soon. The British Library, Gambling Commission, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and the Public Lending Right have already finalised their agreements. These four are all for three years.

Satellite Broadcasting: Freeview

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the introduction of Freesat on the level of the take-up among consumers of Freeview services.

Andy Burnham: Freesat is available to 98 per cent. of UK households and may enable those who experience difficulty in receiving Freeview services, to access subscription-free digital television. Some consumers may also install Freesat to access subscription-free high definition TV. However, it is too early to say what impact Freesat take-up will have on that of Freeview.

Fire Services

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of fire and rescue authority staff on enhanced pensions who are to be made redundant as a result of the implementation of the FiReControl project; what estimate she has made of the cost of meeting the pension contribution top-up costs of these staff; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the net costs of redundancy, retraining and redeployment in respect of the FiReControl project as at 31 March; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The employment of staff after the transfer is a matter for the Local Authority Controlled Companies (LACCs) that have been established to run the RCCs. Under TUPE arrangements existing members of Fire and Rescue Authority (FRAs) control rooms will transfer to the new Regional Control Centres (RCCs). Some staff subsequently could be made redundanteither because there is no suitable alternative post for them, or because it is unreasonable for them to transfer to the new location.
	Under new burdens principles funds will be available to meet the costs of redeployment, retraining and where necessary redundancy costs.
	Until the TUPE process takes place, it is not possible to identify which individuals might have to be made redundant, and hence whether they are entitled to enhanced pensions.

Housing: Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research her Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the correlation between housing conditions and the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued to residents; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Neither my Department, nor the Home Office who lead on antisocial behaviour orders, have commissioned or evaluated research on the correlation between housing conditions and the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued to residents.

Housing: Leeds

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was taken from Leeds City Council in negative housing subsidy in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07 and  (c) 2007-08.

Iain Wright: No money has been taken from Leeds city council in negative Housing Revenue Account subsidy in  (a),  (b), or  (c).
	Leeds is a net recipient of subsidy and received the following sums in each of the years shown as follows:
	
		
			   Subsidy received () 
			 2005-06 29,769,285 
			 2006-07 27,214,716 
			 2007-08(1) 31,323,761 
			 (1 )Not yet audited may be subject to some change.

Newts: Conservation

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what planning regulations and directives protect the great crested newt.

Iain Wright: The great crested newt is listed on Annexes II and IV of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (the habitats directive). It is protected under schedule 2 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994 and schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Administrative guidance on the application of the law relating to planning and nature conservation is contained in the Government circular: 'Biodiversity and Geological Conservationstatutory obligations and their impact within the planning system'.

Social Rented Housing

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether arms-length management organisations will be able to access the fund to purchase unsold new houses and rent them to social tenants.

Iain Wright: The 200 million announced on 14 May will be used by the Housing Corporation to fund RSLs and others to purchase new properties from house builders.
	We are allowing the Housing Corporation flexibility to take advantage of opportunities offered by the current housing market to fund RSLs and others to buy unsold stock from developers at competitive rates with a view to provision of either social rent or low cost home ownership. This will enable RSLs and others to take advantage of the competitive rates offered by the current market as well as helping developers at a challenging time in the new build market.
	Some arms length management organisations are already able to bid to the Housing Corporation for funding in competition with other bidders as part of the regular market engagement process through which the affordable housing programme is being allocated. If ALMOs consider they can take advantage of the availability of grant to purchase new properties the Housing Corporation would consider their applications.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what restrictions exist on building Traveller camps on  (a) Green Belt,  (b) Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and  (c) Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Iain Wright: The same requirements apply to Gypsies and Travellers as to the settled community when seeking to build on the green belt. Planning permission is likely to be needed. Every planning application is decided on its merits in the light of local plan policies, but, under Planning Policy Guidance Note 2 on green belts, there is a general presumption against inappropriate development in the green belt. Inappropriate development should not be approved, except in very special circumstances, and it will be for the applicant to show why permission should be granted.
	In Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, planning policies and development control decisions should give great weight to the conservation of the natural beauty of the landscape and countryside. Planning Policy Statement 7, Sustainable development in rural areas, states that major developments should not take place in these designated areas, except in exceptional circumstances. Whether a Traveller camp is considered a major development would be a matter for the planning authority.
	Sites of Special Scientific Interest are protected by law, and Planning Policy Statement 9, Biodiversity and Geological Conservation, requires a high degree of protection to be given to SSSIs under the planning system. Where a proposed development is likely to have an adverse effect on an SSSI, planning permission should normally not be granted. If a particular activity on a site is listed on the SSSI notification as likely to damage features of special interest, the person wishing to carry out that activity must apply to Natural England for consent under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. If Natural England has not given consent for such works it is an offence under that Act to carry them out. This protection is enforced.

Children in Care

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many looked-after children there were on the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.

Kevin Brennan: Information on the number of looked-after children at 31 March 2003-07 broken down by local authority has been placed in the House of Commons Library (Table LAA1).
	Table LAA1 is taken from the Statistical First Release entitled Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2007, which is located at http://www.dcsf. gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000741/index.shtml and table LAA1 can be found within the 1st set of 10 additional tables supplementing SFR27/2007 on the website.

Children: Disabled

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps the Government have taken to improve the quality of services provided to disabled children.

Kevin Brennan: In May 2007 the Government announced Aiming High for Disabled Children which is now a joint delivery programme between DCSF and Department of Health. DCSF are investing 430 million over this CSR period to transform short break services, improve accessible childcare for families with disabled children and improve the transition of disabled young people from child to adulthood.
	Recent achievements include:
	21 short break pathfinder areas announced in January 2008
	10 childcare accessibility pilot sites announced on 15 May 2008;
	8.4 million additional funding to enable the Family Fund Trust to provide grants to 16 and 17 year-old severely disabled young people from low income families announced in the Children's Plan in December 2007
	Publication on 15 May 2008 of the National Core Offer setting out national expectations of how services are delivered for disabled children, young people and families, and supporting materials to help LAs and PCTs implement the Core Offer locally.

Children's Centres: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding was allocated to Warrington Borough Council for children's centres in each year since their inception.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Sure Start local programme and Sure Start children's centres actual expenditure from 2003-04 to 2006-07 
			   
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Children's Centre (Revenue) 0 37,626 327,644 1,074,679 
			 Children's Centre (Capital) 0 0 450,170 1,612,330 
			 Sure Start Local Programmes (Revenue) 1,036,767 1,228,700 1,372,533 1,374,325 
			 Sure Start Local Programmes (Capital) 49,713 1,035,205 31,583 0 
			  Notes: 1. The figures are actual audited expenditure. 2. The table includes information on funding for Sure Start local programmes, the precursors to children's centres. SSLPs have now made the transition into children's centres. 
		
	
	
		
			  Sure Start local programme and Sure Start children's centres allocations from 2007-08 to 2010-11 
			   
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Children's Centre (Revenue) 1,339,816 1,929,604 2,498,955 2,973,907 
			 Early Years Main Capital 1,636,104 974,405 1,270,051 1,043,007 
			 Sure Start Local Programmes (Revenue) 1,218,250 1,216,984 1,186,313 1,090,998 
			  Notes: 1. The figures are allocations. Actual audited expenditure is not yet available for 2007-08. 2. The 2007-08 capital allocation comprised of blocks for Sure Start children's centres, extended schools, early years provision, child care and integrated projects. The figures for 2008-09 onwards comprise of blocks for Sure Start children's centres (start-up and maintenance), early years provision (quality and access), and child care and integrated projects. It is for local authorities to decide how they spend the overall capital allocation between blocks.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was paid in end-of-year performance bonuses to  (a) all staff and  (b) staff at senior civil service level in (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies in the 2007-08 financial year; and how many payments were made.

Kevin Brennan: The Department has used delegated powers to introduce more extensive non-consolidated performance pay to reward for the most effective and best performers. Performance bonus rewards are based on a judgement of how well an individual has performed relative to their peers. The top 20-25 per cent. performers receive the highest bonus payment. During 2007, 50 per cent. of staff received a bonus worth between 2 per cent. and per cent.
	The breakdown of bonuses for the senior civil service for the 2007-08 financial year is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of bonus awards made to senior civil servants in DCSF  Total cost of the bonuses awarded  () 
			 2007-08 91 577,972.38 
		
	
	The breakdown of bonuses for all other staff is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of bonus awards made  to  all other staff in DCSF  Total cost of the bonuses awarded  () 
			 2007-08 1,894 1,346,407.61 
		
	
	The Department has no executive agencies.

Education: European Union

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on  (a) procuring and  (b) distributing to schools in England the (i) Passport to the European Union and (ii) The EU: what's in it for me booklets, produced by the European Commission.

Kevin Brennan: These booklets are produced and distributed on request by the European Commission Representation in the UK. This Department has not incurred any expense in their procurement or distribution.

Schools: Playing Fields

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of schools in  (a) England,  (b) the East Midlands and  (c) Leicestershire have disposed of playing fields since 1998.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 16 May 2008
	Since 1998 the proportion of schools that have had applications approved to sell school playing fields in  (a) England have been less than 1 per cent.  (b) the East Midlands, less than 1 per cent. and  (c) Leicestershire, less than 1 per cent.

Burma: Asylum

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to protect the safety of Burmese refugees in states neighbouring Burma.

Meg Munn: The Office of the UN high commissioner for refugees is leading assistance to refugees from Burma, with support from international donors. The Thai government is also engaged on the issue of Burmese refugees in Thailand.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development visited the Thailand-Burma border in January to see at first hand the plight of Burmese people who have been forced to flee from their country's repressive regime and the work being done by the international community to help them.
	The Department for International Development is providing 1.8 million over three years to groups which provide assistance to Burmese refugees in Thailand as well as to internally displaced persons inside Burma. We also provided 400,000 last year to support basic health, livelihoods and education to displaced communities within Burma.
	The UK is providing financial and political support for the work of the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) to address the needs of Burmese Rohingya refugees in southern Bangladesh, including the current provision of 1.5 million by ECHO to move around 10,000 unregistered refugees out of a makeshift camp and into newly-built dwellings. We continue to emphasise to the caretaker Government of Bangladesh the importance of a longer-term resolution of the Rohingya issue.

Ethiopia: Somalia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on Ethiopia's involvement in human rights abuses in Somalia.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is aware of allegations of human rights abuses by Ethiopian troops in Somalia and has told Ethiopia, including at high level, that we expect tern to adhere fully to international humanitarian law in Somalia. UN Security Council Resolution 1814, adopted unanimously on 15 May, calls on all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law. The International Contact Group on Somalia issued a communique on 30 April which also raised concern for all human rights abuses in Somalia. We unreservedly condemn all proven incidents of human rights abuse and expect those responsible to face justice.

EU Budget

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's response was to the European Commission's proposal to extend to 15 June 2008 the deadline for member states to make proposals for reform of the EU Budget; and what discussions he has had with the Commission on its proposal.

Jim Murphy: The Government welcome the EU Budget Review and looks forward to playing an active role in the debate. The extension to the deadline by three months for contributions to the EU Budget Review public consultation is a matter for the European Commission, but we welcome efforts by the Commission to ensure a comprehensive consultation process.

Iran: Human Rights

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the  (a) arrest and charging of six members of the leadership of the Iranian Baha'i community and  (b) the detention of other members of the group in Erin prison; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We are aware of reports that, in the early hours of 14 May, six members of the seven-person group that co-ordinates Baha'i activities in Iran had their homes raided and searched by Ministry of Intelligence officers. They were subsequently taken to Evin prison in Tehran where they remain detained. The seventh member of the group has been detained since March. We do not know the grounds for their arrests or if they have been charged yet. This is not the first time that the leadership of the Iranian Baha'i community has been targeted and formal Baha'i administrative bodies have been banned since the early 1980s. We remain deeply concerned by the Iranian government's refusal to respect the right of its citizens to freely adopt and practise a religion of choice and the ongoing systematic persecution of the Baha'i community in Iran in particular and we regularly raise our concerns with the Iranian authorities, bilaterally and through the EU. Following a recommendation by the UK, on 21 May the EU issued a public declaration expressing serious concern about the treatment of the Baha'is in Iran and calling for the release of these individuals. We will continue to raise this issue with the Iranian authorities.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take at the United Nations with regard to the rocket attack on Yesha by the al-Quds Brigades; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We condemn the continuing rocket attacks on Israel, including that on Yesha, by militants from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. These are unacceptable and serve only to increase the suffering of ordinary Palestinians and Israelis. We have no specific plans to raise the Yeshiva attack at the UN but will continue to work with the Quartet, the UN and others in the international community to prevent all such attacks in future.

Sudan: Human Rights

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to secure targeted sanctions against the Government of Sudan in relation to improving respect for human rights in Darfur.

Meg Munn: We continue to discuss the possibility of further sanctions with other members of the UN Security Council as one of a range of measures to resolve the crisis in Darfur. We would consider supporting sanctioning any party to the conflict for destabilising the region, impeding process on the political process, obstructing the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur deployment or humanitarian access and human rights abuses.

Sudan: War Crimes

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he proposes to take  (a) at the UN Security Council and ( b) in other fora in response to Sudan's non-compliance with the current warrants issued by the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UK sponsored the UN Security Council Resolution 1593 of March 2005 which referred the human rights situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The UK fully supports the ICC and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised the need for Sudan to comply with the ICC in his meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor on 28 April.
	The UK continues to press the government of Sudan, at all levels, to comply with the ICC requirements. We have also raised Sudanese compliance with the ICC with partners, including in the UN Security Council, who have influence over the government of Sudan.

Sudan: War Crimes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Sudan on meeting the requirements of the International Criminal Court warrants issued against Ahmed Harun and Ali Kushayb for crimes in Darfur.

Meg Munn: The UK fully supports the International Criminal Court (ICC) and we continue to press the Government of Sudan, at all levels, to comply with the ICC requirements. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised the need for Sudan to comply with the ICC in his meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor on 28 April.

Zimbabwe: Economic Situation

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the economy of Zimbabwe.

Meg Munn: The Zimbabwean economy continues to collapse. Whereas prices had been doubling once a month, they now double once a week. Inflation for February was officially 165,000 per cent but according to leaked government figures for March it has now risen to 355,000 per cent. Unofficial estimates are much higher. Scarcity of basic food supplies, petrol and simple household goods continue due to price controls, making the black market the only optionbut only for those who can afford it. Recent partial liberalisation of exchange control mechanisms is too little too late to make any real impact on the economyand could be reversed. The continued printing of money by the Reserve Bank is fuelling further hyperinflation. There is also the prospect of new, flawed indigenisation law being implemented aggressively and further damaging the private sector.

Civil Servants: Pay

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the range of pay offers for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 is for equivalent grades across Government departments; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects on flexible working across Government departments.

Tom Watson: Departments have delegated authority to determine their own pay and grading arrangements below the senior civil service that are tailored to meet their own particular business, operational and workforce needs. Under the delegated pay arrangements, Departments are responsible for managing their own pay negotiations within financial parameters agreed by HM Treasury. Information on pay offers is not held by the Cabinet Office. Cabinet Office officials continue to work with Departments, HM Treasury and the civil service unions to improve the operation of the delegated arrangements, including action to narrow unjustified pay gaps between Departments for staff doing similar work.
	For the senior civil service, for whom pay arrangements are managed by the Cabinet Office, the Senior Salaries Review Body is currently considering pay recommendations for the next three years.

Pre-School Education: Finance

Susan Kramer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of extending the early years education entitlement to  (a) two-year-olds in households below 60 per cent. of median income and  (b) all two year olds.

Yvette Cooper: The Children's Plan: building brighter futures published by the Department for Schools and Families in December 2007 announced an additional 100 million to extend the offer of up to 15 hours of free early education and childcare to 20,000, two-year-olds in the most disadvantaged communities.
	As with the response I gave her on 2 June,  Official Report, columns 719-20W relating to extension to the 3 and 4 year-old offer, to estimate the costs of a further extension of the two-year-old offer would require an analysis of childcare costs and other factors at the time of implementation, and of the impact on both supply and demand for provision in the childcare market. Costing a targeted extension would require an assessment any extra cost from targeting and any differences in the cost of making provision available to particular groups.

Bail Accommodation and Support Service: Weston-Super-Mare

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what percentage of the people housed so far in the ClearSprings Bail Hostel recently established in Weston-Super-Mare are convicted offenders.

David Hanson: ClearSprings provide private rented accommodation only to those people who are otherwise suitable for release on bail or Home Detention Curfew but who do not have an address. The accommodation are not bail hostels. To date five people have benefited from the Service provided by ClearSprings in Weston-super-Mare, which has three bed spaces. One was an offender.

Coroners

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the criteria are for determining coroners' courts  (a) location,  (b) relocation and  (c) closure of coroners' courts; what (i) primary and (ii) secondary legislation governs such considerations; what changes have been made to each since enactment; what recent representations he has received on the location of coroners' courts; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Section 5(2) of the Coroners Act 1988 provides that a coroner must hold inquests within his or her district. The Act is silent on relocation and closure of coroner's courts and there is no other primary or secondary legislation which deals specifically with the location, relocation, or closure of coroner's courts. The location of the inquest hearing within his or her district is a matter for the coroner and will be subject to the availability of suitable accommodation. I have not received any recent representations on the location of coroners' courts. However, from time to time my Department receives representations on problems with the availability of accommodation for inquests. On these occasions, my officials liaise with the coroner, the local authority and, when appropriate, the local court administration to help find a suitable solution.

Coroners

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many coroners' courts his Department plans to relocate in the next 12 months; what the reason is in each case; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many coroners' courts have been closed in each of the last five years; and what the reason for closure is in each case;
	(3)  how many coroners' courts have been relocated in each of the last five years; and what the reason for relocation was in each case.

Bridget Prentice: My Department has no direct responsibilities for the location or relocation of coroners' courts. Under Section 5(2) of the Coroners Act 1988 a coroner must hold inquests within his or her district. Approximately 30 per cent. of coroners have dedicated court facilities provided to them by their local authority. The remainder use other accommodation including, court rooms in magistrates courts on a sharing basis, or accommodation provided by the local authority such as council chambers. Coroners will often use more than one building for holding their inquests, subject to availability and the specific requirements of the inquest. All arrangements for coroner's court accommodation are made locally and information about the closure and relocation of coroners' courts is not held centrally.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2008,  Official Report, column 63W, on departmental official hospitality, how many people attended each reception he hosted.

Jack Straw: Pursuant to the answer of 19 May 2008,  Official Report, column 63W on departmental official hospitality, in my capacity as Secretary of State for Justice, in the last 12 months I have hosted six receptions for a range of organisations and groups, the number of attendees at each reception is listed as follows:
	 4 July 2007
	Reception for Senior Leaders (SCS) from the Ministry of Justice at Selborne House. (100 attendees)
	 19 July 2007
	Reception for front line staff and Ministry of Justice stakeholders at Lancaster House. (170 attendees)
	 25 July 2007
	Reception for media stakeholders at Selborne House. (70 attendees)
	 1 October 2007
	Lord Chancellor's breakfast. This is an annual event hosted by the Lord Chancellor to mark the beginning of the Legal Year. Senior Judiciary from the UK and overseas are invited. (500 attendees)
	 6 November 2007
	Reception for Senior Judiciary following the State Opening of Parliament. (50 attendees)
	 15 January 2008
	Reception for media stakeholders at Selborne House. (70 attendees)

Departmental Public Participation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consultants have been contracted by his Department to conduct public participation activities in the last three years; and how much expenditure his Department has incurred on each such contract to date.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Name of public participation activity  Name of consultancy  Cost of activity ()  What they were commissioned to do 
			  2005
			 Democratic Engagement: Digital Dialogues Hansard Society 34,200 The Digital Dialogues project investigates the use of online technologies (weblogs, webchats and forums) to promote dialogue between central Government and the public. Examples include online discussion forums on the openness of the family courts at the then DCA. Each stage of the project is followed by an evaluation report 
			 
			  2006
			 Draft Coroner Bill: Users' experience of the coroners' courts Ipsos-MORI 11,500 Survey to gather information on recent users' experience of, and satisfaction with, coroners' services 
			 
			 Draft Coroner Bill: Public Pre-Legislative Scrutiny by Bereaved People's Panel Opinion Leader Research 15,500 Workshop to enable members of the public with recent experience of the coroners service to give feedback to the Government on the measures in the draft Coroners Bill 
			 
			 Draft Coroner Bill: Service families' experiences of the inquest process Opinion Leader Research 4,700 Event to gather information about the experiences of Iraq service families who had gone through the inquest process 
			 
			 Democratic Engagement: Youth EventSolent Theatre Solent People's Theatre 5,700 Facilitated event for Ministerial Youth Outreach Programme hosted by Bridget Prentice as Minister for Youth Engagement. This interactive event called 'Youth Shout: Your Voice Counts' was attended by 143 young people (most from primary schools), 19 MPs and 41 councillors 
			 
			 Democratic Engagement: Radiowaves Synergy TV 5,700 Radiowaves Voice It! pilot. Project to encourage and equip 11 to 18-year-olds to become citizen journalists and hold interviews with decision-makers which are published on the Radiowaves website and shared with a global audience 
			 
			 Democratic Engagement: Digital Dialogues Hansard Society 37,400 Phase 2Report on second phase published in September 2007 
			 
			  2007
			 Democratic Engagement Hansard Society 35,400 Digital Dialogues Phase 3ongoing 
			 
			 Democratic Engagement Involve 17,500 'Participation Partners': Bespoke, coaching support from expert participation practitioners (Involve) to assist with all aspects of public engagement exercises; project evaluation and case studies to be disseminated across government 
			 
			 NOMS consultation: NOMS Strategic Plan for Reducing Reoffending Frameworks Ltd. 25,000 Organisation and running of national stakeholder consultation event 
			 
			 Consultation on: NOMS Believing we can CLINKS (Third Sector organisation) 10,000 Ran two faith stakeholder events in the North West 
			 
			 NOMS consultation: NOMS Third Sector Strategy CLINKS 20,000 Ran four Third Sector stakeholder events 
			 
			 Joint consultation events for Believing we can/NOMS Third Sector Strategy Futures Unlocked (Third Sector organisation) (1)9,000 Ran consultation events and developed third sector and faith alliances in the East Midlands 
			 
			 Joint consultation events for Believing we can/NOMS Third Sector Strategy Lincolnshire Action Trust (Third Sector organisation) (1)8,950 Ran consultation events and developed third sector and faith alliances in the East Midlands 
			 
			 Consultation on MOJ Third Sector Strategy Sand Resources Ltd. 35,000 35 days' consultancy work. Contracted to draft MOJ consultation paper, help analyse responses and help produce final strategy paper. Also contracted to help analyse responses to NOMS Third Sector Action Plan and help develop final NOMS Action Plan called 'Working with the Third Sector to reduce reoffending 2008-2011' 
			 
			 Draft Coroner Bill: Reporting restrictions in coroners; courts Opinion Leader Research 8,000 Workshop to reach consensus among key stakeholders (including media and voluntary group representatives and coroners) on the Bill's reporting restrictions proposals 
			 
			 OCJR consultation: Improving the criminal justice process for young witnesses Ipsos MORI 1,000 Workshops on proposals for young witnesses 
			 
			 OCJR consultation: Improving the criminal justice process for young witnesses National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children NSPCC (Third Sector organisation) 1,000 Workshops on proposals for young witnesses 
			 
			 Democratic Engagement: Radiowaves Synergy TV 148,750 Radiowaves Voice It! roll-out. The objective of Radiowaves is to help young people develop the knowledge they need to confidently get involved in democratic processes 
			 
			 Democratic Engagement: www.peopleandparticipation.net Involve 15,100 Website jointly funded with Communities and Local Government to provide practical help and advice for government officials on public participation methods etc. 
			 
			 The Insight Project Ipsos Mori and Promise (2)200,000 Initiative to assess awareness of and attitudes towards Human Rights among both the general public and staff in public services in the Health and Social Care sectors 
			 
			 Human Rights Campaign Four Communications 31,050 Four Communications were engaged to assist the Campaign Team to strengthen awareness of the Human Rights Act 1998. This involved identifying opportunities for speeches, articles and interviews by MOJ Ministers on the Human Rights Act as well as designing promotional material such as a leaflet promoting the Human Rights Act 
			 
			  2008
			 NOMS consultation on Best Value in Probation NOMS (2008) Quatrosystem Ltd. 3,000 Facilitate two events for third sector, private sector and public sector providers of criminal justice services and provide feedback 
			 (1 )Grant funding. (2) First payments of this sum made in 2006.  Notes: 1. The following sums are not considered by the Department as relevant for inclusion: Sums paid to the Central Office of Information (COI), as it is a Crown body and Government Department. Sums paid to consultants who advised on the procurement of public participation activities rather than conducting the public participation activities themselves. 2. The figures given are generally rounded to the nearest 100 and inclusive of VAT.

Prisoners Release: Overdoses

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 19 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 68-9W, on prisoners release: overdoses, what initiatives are in place to reduce the risk of drug-related deaths following release from prison; how the effectiveness of those initiatives is measured; for what reasons data showing the number of ex-offenders who die from a heroin overdose within a fortnight of leaving prison are not routinely collected; and if he will make it his policy to collect such data.

David Hanson: Prisons have in place a comprehensive drug treatment framework many elements of which are designed to reduce the risk of drug-related deaths on release from prison:
	Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARAT), teams provide harm minimisation to prisoners prior to release;
	working with offender managers and the Drug Interventions Programme, CARAT teams facilitate throughcare arrangements to ensure drug treatment is continued on release; and
	the integrated drug treatment system, the clinical elements of which will be introduced into all prisons by 2011, will improve considerable the quality of treatment.
	The CARAT service is subject to regular audit for effectiveness. A major research strategy is planned on the effectiveness of the integrated drug treatment system. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has also conducted research studies into drug-related death.
	There is no single case tracking system that follows individuals across community-criminal justice system treatment boundaries nor linked to the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (npSAD). There are also significant delays inherent in the process for recording causes of death. Instead, NOMS relies on research studies to produce trend data.
	NOMS together with the National Treatment Agency is exploring the feasibility of introducing into prisons the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System. This offers the potential of obtaining a better picture of treatment outcomes but would not capture ex-offenders who died while not engaged in treatment.

Young Offender Institutions: Mental Health Services

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 8 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1151W, on young offender institutions: mental health services, which young offender institutions do not provide child and adolescent mental health support (CAMHS) on site; and which institutions in England provide CAMHS treatment for inmates from young offender institutions in  (a) England and  (b) Wales.

David Hanson: All young offender institutions (YOIs) in England have
	access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) at Tiers 1 to 3, delivered on site, by a range of staff including primary health care staff, education staff, youth justice workers, psychologists, prison officers, child and adolescent psychiatrists, social workers, clinical psychologists.
	Tier 4 CAMHS, the level of service for children and young people with serious problems who require highly specialised in-patient treatment, will usually be delivered off-site.
	The Secure Forensic Mental Health Service for Young People oversees in-patient treatment and referrals to seven specialist NHS secure hospital units for under-18s throughout England. These are: Roycroft (Newcastle), Gardener (Manchester), Ardenleigh (Birmingham), Bill Yule (Beckenham, South London), Wells Unit (Middlesex), Malcolm Arnold Unit (Northampton) and Bluebird House (Southampton).
	The commissioning of secondary/tertiary care health services to YOIs based in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government/NHS Wales.

Cyclists

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to improve the safety of cyclists on roads.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Measures to improve the safety of cyclists on roads include providing better infrastructure, funding cycle training, improved training and testing for motorists and encouraging cyclists to protect themselves, by making themselves conspicuous and by wearing a safety helmet.
	Other initiatives such as anti drink-drive and speeding campaigns and the provision of 20 mph zones can also contribute to cyclist safety. Earlier this year we announced an extra 140 million over the next three years to promote more cycling, some of which will be for cycle training and some for providing more safe routes to schools, as well as supporting more cycle demonstration towns.

Community Transport Groups

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to help community transport groups extend the range of services they offer.

Rosie Winterton: The Local Transport Bill, currently awaiting report stage, contains provisions that would give greater flexibility over the size of vehicle used by community transport groups, and remove the restriction on paying drivers of vehicles used to provide community bus services.

West Coast Main Line

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with Network Rail on the quality of service on the west coast main line.

Tom Harris: I continue to press Network Rail about performance across the network. Officials are investigating the performance issues and I will be seeking an update from Network Rail at the next Performance Delivery Group meeting on 18 June. The group is an industry wide body that I chair which meets on a four weekly basis.

Rail Services

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to encourage rail companies to improve the performance of connecting services.

Tom Harris: The Franchise Agreements with the train operators specify that they must co-operate with other operators when developing their timetables to enable passengers to make connections. Train operators make best endeavours to aid passengers with connecting services, with particular focus given to services operating infrequently and to the last train services each day.

Aviation: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the noise maps for each airfield in Hampshire; and when each  (a) was last and  (b) will next be updated.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Secretary of State for Transport publishes annual aircraft noise contour maps for the three London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) which are designated under section 80 for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 for noise control purposes. These follow the standard UK practice of producing aircraft noise contours for the average summer's day (Leq 16 hour, 07.00-23.00) where 'summer' is the 92 day period from 16 June to 15 September.
	The Secretary of State is not responsible for the production of noise contour maps at non designated airports. The publication of aircraft noise contour maps is a matter for local decision. Individual airports will need to have regard to local circumstances, including requirements under planning conditions/agreements.
	Under the European Environmental Directive Noise (END) 2002/49/EC, member states are required to produce strategic noise maps every five years for the main sources of environmental noise, including major airports with more than 50,000 movements (a movement being a take-off or landing) per year. The relevant UK airports including Southampton produced maps last year. The maps can be viewed on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website:
	www.noisemapping.defra.gov.uk.
	The Environmental Noise Directive requires that maps should represent annual average noise values and requires the use of four different parameters. These are Lday (07.00-19.00), Levening (19.00-23.00), Lnight (23.00-07.00), Leq 16 hour (07.00-23.00), and Lden (00.00-24.00).
	Given the difference in parameters, caution should be exercised in attempting any comparison between 'traditional' UK annual summer daytime aircraft noise contour maps and aircraft contour maps produced in accordance with the Environmental Noise Directive.

Departmental Computers

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has issued guidance to staff in her Department to switch off personal computers when not in use; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and its agencies are very conscious of the need to reduce power, thereby contributing to a common target to reduce carbon emissions by 12.5 per cent. by 2010-11, and 30 per cent. by 2020-21.
	All have policies of shutting down computers when not in use, and at night. Staff are regularly instructed and reminded to do so through training, circulars, general guidance and night security checks. In addition, DfT (Central) has implemented a policy of automatic shutdown of computers at 7 pm every Friday evening.
	Departmental procurement policy also states that preference should be given to energy efficient IT equipment when new purchases are made.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was paid in end-of-year performance bonuses to  (a) all staff and  (b) staff at senior civil service level in (i) her Department and (ii) its agencies in the 2007-08 financial year; and how many payments were made.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport are currently in the process of conducting performance management reviews and allocating any applicable bonuses. This process is likely to come to a conclusion in late July 2008.

Shipping: Aircraft

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of introducing Mode S transporters across the UK aircraft fleet, with particular reference to any effect on air sports; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Mode S transponders are the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) approved replacement for Mode A and Mode C transponders which use outdated technology. On 31 May 2008 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) concluded their consultation on phase 2 of their proposals to extend the use of Mode S transponders. This is part of the CAA's phased approach to improving the technical interoperability of aircraft in UK airspace. They will consider carefully all the responses they have received before making a decision.
	Phase 1, which came into force on 31 March 2008, required the use of Mode S for existing transponders. All aircraft that were required to carry Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) Mode A and C transponders had to be upgraded to Mode S capability. A transition period of four years will be provided during which time upgrades of existing transponders can be completed. All new installations of SSR equipment and all new aircraft brought into service with an SSR transponder already installed will now need to be Mode S compliant.

Agriculture: Subsidies

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Common Agricultural Policy prior to the 13 May 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 22 May 2008
	It is long established practice under successive Governments that information relating to discussions between Ministers is not normally disclosed. The Government's position on the common agricultural policy was set out in the joint DEFRA/Treasury Vision paper published in December 2005.

Asbestos: Alnwick

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to locate missing records of asbestos treatment carried out in the 1990s at his Department's offices in Alnwick, Northumberland; where these records would normally have been kept; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, now DEFRA, assumed responsibility for this site in 1992-93, It was transferred from the Property Services Agency (PSA) which now no longer exists. Anecdotal evidence implies that PSA commissioned asbestos removal works in 1988 but no records were handed over at the point of transfer to MAFF and no files were kept at that time on site.
	For clarification no asbestos treatment work was undertaken during 1990's and therefore there are no records.
	In 2004 DEFRA undertook Asbestos Type III surveys across the estate, results from Alnwick revealed small particles of asbestos in the ceiling void. Air tests were immediately conducted and have continued since that time. Test result records have been maintained since 2004.

Cattle: Ear Tagging

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what monitoring he is undertaking of compliance with the double-ear tag requirement in relation to cattle; what representations he has received on the effectiveness of the scheme; and if he will consider the merits of returning to a system of single ear-tags.

Jonathan R Shaw: The unique, lifetime, individual identification of bovine animals is an essential element of the work to control and eradicate Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). The requirement for bovines to have an officially approved tag in each ear bearing identical official identification numbers (double-tagging) has been directly applicable Community law since 1 January 1998. Double-tagging was chosen to give surer guarantees that an animal's identity remains secure throughout its life. There are no immediate plans to alter this.
	Member states are required to inspect annually 10 per cent. of the cattle holdings in their territory for compliance with bovine identification and registration rules, and to report the result to the EU Commission by 31 August. The inspections must be unannounced and cover all animals present on the holding. Holdings must be selected by risk analysis. This inspection regime has been operating since 1998. In England, Rural Payments Agency inspectors inspect around 5,000 farms each year, checking each animal's tags, cattle passport, and records. Copies of the annual report can be seen on the animal identification section of DEFRA's website. Last year, around 1.5 per cent. of the animals inspected in Britain did not fully comply with the tagging rules. This rate of compliance is good and has been consistently so since 2000.
	I consider the monitoring of double-tagging to be effective. Our systems were considered sufficiently robust for the EU Commission to lift the ten year beef and cattle export ban in 2006. I have received no representations on their effectiveness.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many receptions he has hosted and funded in his capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations  (a) were invited to and  (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception.

Jonathan R Shaw: We will publish in due course, an annual list providing information relating to official receptions hosted by Ministers in the Department during the course of the previous financial year.

Fisheries: Scotland

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with his Scottish counterpart on the decision taken by the Scottish Executive to introduce a moratorium on fisheries licence and quota transfers; when he was notified of the moratorium; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact on the UK fishing industry of the decision by the Scottish Executive to implement a moratorium on licence and quota transfers; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will take steps to review the terms of the concordat with the Scottish Executive on fisheries following the decision by the Scottish Executive to implement a moratorium on licence and quota transfers; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  whether he has taken legal advice on the decision taken by the Scottish Executive to implement a moratorium on fisheries licence and quota transfers; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have had no discussions with my Scottish counterpart about the moratorium and was first advised of it late on Thursday 15 May, the day before it was announced. At this time I am unable to make a proper assessment of its impact on any part of the UK fishing fleet as there is still some uncertainty about exactly how in practice the Scottish Executive intend to apply it. In the absence of that information it is impossible to make a full judgment of the legality of the moratorium but the preliminary advice that I have received is that it may be unlawful. I have expressed my profound disappointment at this unilateral action, which tears up long-standing arrangements between England and Scotland for managing fishing licences and quotas. It creates additional risk and uncertainty for fishermen at a time when they are already under enormous pressure and prevents then from carrying out their legitimate business. I am saddened that the Scottish Executive no longer feel able to work within the collaborative framework of the fisheries concordat. In our view the concordat is still valid given the continuing need for the UK Government and Devolved Administrations to work together.

Floods

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many households are deemed to be at high risk of flooding in England and Wales; and of these  (a) to how many households the Flood Warnings Direct system is available and  (b) how many are registered with it;
	(2)  how much the Flood Warnings Direct system cost to  (a) develop and  (b) install.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency's 2006 National Flood Risk Assessment divides properties into three probability bands as follows:
	Significant Probability (1 in 75): 517,000 properties
	Moderate Probability (1 in 200): 567,000 properties
	Low Probability (1 in 1,000): 1,191,000 properties
	As of 1 August 2007, the Environment Agency reported that the Floodline Warnings Direct Service was available to 794,000 properties and, of these, 240,000 were registered.
	The Environment Agency has informed me that the Floodline Warnings Direct system cost 14.2 million over four years to develop and implement. The breakdown of these costs are as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 System development 4.5 
			 Equipment and Installation 5.5 
			 Implementation and other costs 4.2

Floods

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of people in England and Wales at high risk of flooding to whom Flood Warnings Direct is available;
	(2)  how many people at risk or high risk of flooding in England and Wales are estimated to be unaware of the risk.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA and the Environment Agency have agreed upon an annual programme of expansion, improvement and recruitment to the flood warning service. This is documented in the Environment Agency's Flood Warning Investment Strategy.
	The aim of the strategy is to make the Flood Warnings available to 80 per cent. of those identified as being at risk of flooding within the Environment Agency's Flood Map, by March 2013. The Environment Agency is on course to meet this target.

Whales: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives from  (a) the Japanese government,  (b) the Norwegian government and  (c) the Icelandic government on whaling since January 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: On 8 January, I called in the deputy ambassador from the Japanese embassy in London to express the UK's outrage and urge Japan to end its slaughter of whales.
	The deputy ambassador was left in no doubt of the strength of feeling in this country and that the UK is outraged by Japan's whaling activities and considers Japan's lethal research wholly unnecessary.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the Prime Minister of Iceland on 24 April and reiterated the UK's strong opposition to whaling. The Icelandic Prime Minister was left in no doubt as to the strength of feeling in the UK on the issue.
	There have been no discussions on whaling since January between DEFRA Ministers and Norwegian representatives. However please be assured that DEFRA Ministers and FCO posts will raise the issue of whaling with these countries' representatives whenever it is appropriate to do so.

Whales: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will be able to name the countries that are  (a) members of the International Whaling Commission and  (b) not members of the International Whaling Commission to which the Government has (i) sent the Protecting WhalesA Global Responsibility document and (ii) written about whaling since January 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: For reasons given in my reply of 6 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1296W, and of 28 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1874W, I do not think it appropriate to provide the information sought by the hon. Member.

Whales: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to attend the 60th meeting of the International Whaling Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: I plan to attend the next annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to be held in Santiago, Chile in June 2008. If conflicting priorities make this impossible it is planned one of my fellow DEFRA Ministers will represent the UK in Santiago.
	The UK will, both at the 60th meeting and beyond continue to support the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling and oppose all forms of whaling, other than limited whaling operations by indigenous people for subsistence purposes.

Whales: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether he expects new members to join the International Whaling Commission in time to be able to vote at the forthcoming International Whaling Commission meeting; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of International Whaling Commission members likely to  (a) support the international moratorium on commercial whaling and  (b) oppose the international moratorium on commercial whaling should a vote be called on the matter at the 60(th) meeting of the International Whaling Commission; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  when he next plans to discuss whaling with  (a) his Cabinet colleagues and  (b) representatives from foreign governments that (i) are and (ii) are not members of the International Whaling Commission; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  when he last discussed whaling with his foreign counterparts; whether he has directly lobbied any countries to join the International Whaling Commission and support the international moratorium on commercial whaling; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Partly as a consequence of UK lobbying effort, two new countries (Uruguay and Romania), have joined the International Whaling Commission (IWC) since last year, and Nicaragua's voting rights have been re-instated so that Nicaragua can now vote on the anti-whaling side. We do not know which countries, if any, may have been recruited to the pro-whaling side; the final voting numbers will be unknown until the plenary session opens on 23 June. We would nonetheless expect to have a clear majority of countries present and voting at this year's annual meeting of the IWC ready to support the maintenance of the moratorium on commercial whaling, should its future be put to a vote. In the unlikely event that the pro-whaling countries hold the simple majority, they are unlikely to be able to end the moratorium, a vote on which requires a three-quarter majority.
	Cabinet Members, along with all hon. Members, will shortly receive a 'Dear Colleague' letter which provides a full report of HMG's aims for the forthcoming annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, making clear that the UK remains vigorously opposed to whaling and detailing our position on issues such as the importance of welfare considerations and whale watching.
	I discussed whaling with the hon. Peter Garrett MP, Australian Minister for the Environment on 25 April. Among other issues, we discussed the meeting I had with the Japanese deputy ambassador on 8 January to express the UK's outrage over Japan's 'scientific' whaling activities.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the effect on crime levels of binge drinking.

Vernon Coaker: The Government take the issue of crime committed by individuals when drunk, or through binge drinking, very seriously. The Government are aware that drinking among young people under the age of 18 is associated with criminal and disorderly behaviour. Nearly half of all 10 to 17-year-olds who drink once a week or more, admitted to some sort of criminal or disorderly behaviour. Of young people aged 18 to 24, those who binge drink were far more likely to admit to committing criminal or disorderly behaviour during or after drinking.
	The Government have taken a number of actions in order to combat this issue, including introducing the Tackling Violent Crime Programme (TVCP) which was launched in November 2004. Additionally, local areas are now required to address alcohol-related issues within their crime and disorder reduction partnerships (CDRP) strategies. The Government have produced guidance to assist local areas in producing their strategies, and the Government offices for the regions are co-ordinating this requirement within their specific region. The Government have also recently published A practical guide for dealing with alcohol related problems which is aimed at local alcohol practitioners and gives advice about the tools and powers available to tackle alcohol-related crime.
	The Government are working to improve the way alcohol-related offenders are dealt with in custody and in the community. The National Offender Management Service is taking this work forward which includes; the publication of an alcohol pack for offenders under probation supervision, disseminating across the National probation service learning points from alcohol best practice projects, as well as work to develop two alcohol treatment programmes for prisons.
	Additionally, the Government have funded four alcohol arrest referral pilots. These schemes aim to offer custody-based interventions from a trained worker in order to reduce reoffending. These pilots will be rolled out to 10 new areas, which will ensure that the under 18s will also benefit from these interventions.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were  (a) cautioned,  (b) prosecuted and  (c) given a penalty notice for disorder for selling alcohol to people under the age of 18 years in each constituency in Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Information held on the court proceedings and PND databases cannot be broken down by constituency area, therefore information has been provided by police force area.
	The number of persons issued with a caution, penalty notice for disorder, or proceeded against at magistrates courts for the offence of selling alcohol to people under the age of 18 years in Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire police force areas for the years 2002 to 2006 can be viewed in tables 1 and 2 as follows.
	
		
			  N umber of persons issued with a caution, or proceeded against at magistrates courts for certain alcohol offences in the Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire police force areas for the years 2002 to 2006( 1,2,3,4) 
			   Proceeded against  Cautions( 5) 
			  Force  2002  2003  2004  2005( 3)  2006( 3)  2002  2003  2004  2005( 3)  2006( 3) 
			 Humberside 0 0 11 2 6 0 1 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 7 22 3 41 0 0 0 1 0 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 5 18 10 0 38 35 25 8 
			 West Yorkshire 14 1 21 15 17 0 0 0 1 0 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises. Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec 3) para 4(1). Licensing Act 1964 Sec 169(1). Sale of alcohol to a person Under 18, Licensing Act 2003 S.146(1). Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18, Licensing Act 1964 Sec 181A(1) as added by Licensing Act 1988 Sec 17. Allow sale of alcohol to an individual under 18, Licensing Act 2003 Sec 147(1) and (5). (3) The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 24 November 2005. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (5) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. Reprimands and final warnings are included in the above data.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of persons issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offence sale of alcohol to person under 18 in the Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire police force areas for the years 2004 to 2006( 1,2,3) 
			   Sale of alcohol to person under 18 
			  Force  2004  2005( 4)  2006( 4) 
			 Humberside 2 45 48 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 11 
			 South Yorkshire 2 107 158 
			 West Yorkshire 4 72 105 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statute: Sale of alcohol anywhere to a person under 18. s.146(1) of the Licensing Act 2003 (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) New legislative reference with effect from, 24 November 2005 on implementation of Licensing Act 2003  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many retailers were prosecuted in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England and Wales for the illegal sale of alcohol to people under the age of 18 years in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the court proceedings database cannot be broken down by constituency or district level, therefore information has been provided by police force area.
	The number of defendants proceeded against in Northumbria police force area, the North East Region, and England and Wales for the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years from 1997 to 2006 can be viewed in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against in magistrates courts for the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years in Northumbria police force area, the North East Region, and England and Wales for the years 1997 to 2006( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			   Proceeded against 
			  Force/region/area  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Northumbria 34 92 41 17 17 8 38 51 79 41 
			 North East 34 94 41 18 18 9 42 63 95 52 
			 England and Wales 215 311 205 132 158 170 616 861 1,084 1,199 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Holder of occasional permission or agent knowingly selling intoxicating liquor to person under 18 Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 S.4(1)(a), Licensing Act S.169A and 169B, as added by Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 S.1 Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 Licensing Act 1964 S.181 A(1) as added by Licensing Act 1988 S.17. Sale of alcohol to a person under 18 Licensing Act 2003 S.146(1) Allow sale of alcohol to an individual under 18 Licensing Act 2003 S.147(1) and (5). (3) Staffordshire police force were only able to supply a 9 per cent. sample of data for magistrates courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust at a detailed level and are not included in the England and Wales figures. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS, Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Ministry of Justice.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals in  (a) Peterborough constituency and  (b) Cambridgeshire were (i) cautioned and (ii) fined for selling alcohol to underage persons in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Information held on the court proceedings and PND databases cannot be broken down by constituency, the information has been provided for police force area.
	There were no persons issued with a caution for the offence of selling alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years in Cambridgeshire police force area for the years 2001 to 2006.
	The number of persons fined at all courts for the offence of selling alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years in Cambridgeshire police force area for the years 2001 to 2006 can be viewed in table 1.
	In addition to court fines, police can issue an 'on the spot fine' or a penalty notice for disorder (PND) for the offence of selling alcohol to persons under the age of 18. The number of persons issued with PND for the offence in Cambridgeshire police force area for the years 2004 to 2006 can be viewed in table2. The PND scheme was rolled-out to all police forces in England and Wales in 2004.
	
		
			  Number of persons fined at all courts for offences relating to certain alcohol offences in the Cambridgeshire police force area for the years 2001 to 2006( 1, 2, 3) 
			   Fines 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 0 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 1 
			 2005 7 
			 2006 18 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: 14203Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc. intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises. Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec. 3) para 4(1). Licensing Act 1964 Sec. 169(1).  14379Sale of alcohol to a person Under 18 Licensing Act 2003 S.146(1).  14352Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Licensing Act 1964 Sec. 181A(l) as added by Licensing Act 1988 Sec. 17.  14380Allow sale of alcohol to an individual under 18. Licensing Act 2003 Sec 147(1)  (5). (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Note:  The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 24 November 2005.  Source:  Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice Our Ref: IOS 159-08 (Table 1). 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of persons issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offence Sale of alcohol to person under 18 in the Cambridgeshire police force area for the years 2004 to 2006( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			   Sale of alcohol to person under 18 
			 2004 0 
			 2005 11 
			 2006 14 
			 (1 )These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statute: Sale of alcohol anywhere to a person under 18. s.146(1) of the Licensing Act 2003. (3 )New legislative reference with effect from 24 November 2005 on implementation of Licensing Act 2003. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice. Our Ref: IOS 159-08 (Table 2)

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shop keepers in North Kent have received fixed penalty notices for selling alcohol to under 18 year olds in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The number of Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) issued for the offence of selling alcohol to an under 18 year-old in the Kent Police Force area has been provided in the following table. Those PNDs which were issued in the North Kent area cannot be identified as data is not collected to this level of detail.
	
		
			  N umber of Persons issued with a Penalty Notice for Disorder for the offence of selling alcohol to a person under the age of 18 years in Kent police force area, 2004 to 2006( 1, 2, 3) 
			   Sale of alcohol anywhere to a person under 18 
			 2004(4)  
			 2005 10 
			 2006 5 
			 (1) PND data is a count of all penalty notices for disorder issued during the year. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Sale of alcohol anywhere to a person under 18 5.146(1) of the Licensing Act 2003 (4) November to December.  Source: Court proceedings data held by CJEA - Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Ministry of Justice.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition: Ports

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2008,  Official Report, column 275W, on ports: automatic number plate recognition, whether there are any automatic number plate recognition systems in use at British ports; and whether any are configured to read foreign number plates.

Vernon Coaker: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 2 June 2008,  Official Report, column 743W.
	On the latter point, automatic number plate recognition is a well-established technology that allows vehicles observed by camera to have their registration mark 'read' using pattern recognition software. This technology has the ability to recognise the majority of foreign vehicle number plates. However, it is not possible to specify all the number plates that can or cannot be read as some countries' number plates contain unrecognisable characters.

Licensed Premises: Kent

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many  (a) off licences and  (b) other establishments with a licence to sell alcohol in Kent have been prosecuted for selling alcohol to under-age drinkers in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many licensees in Kent have been prosecuted for serving under-age drinkers in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for selling alcohol to those under 18 years old in Kent police force area from 2003 to 2006 can be viewed in the following table. It is not possible to identify from the data whether these sales were from on or off licensed premises.
	The offence of sale of alcohol to a person under 18 can also attract a penalty notice for disorder (PND); there were no PNDs issued for the offence in Kent police force area in 2004, 10 PNDs issued in 2005 and five in 2006.
	
		
			  The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for certain alcohol related offences in Kent police force area for the years 2003 to 2006( 1,2,3) 
			   Proceeded against 
			  Offence description  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Holder of occasional permission or agent knowingly selling intoxicating liquor to person under 18 3 9 15 14 2 
			 Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 0 3 0 0 0 
			 Total 3 12 15 14 2 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Holder of occasional permission or agent knowingly selling intoxicating liquor to person under 18 Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 S.4(l)(a), Licensing Act S.169A  169B, as added by Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 S.I Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 Licensing Act 1964 Sec 181 A(l) as added by Licensing Act 1988 Sec 17. From these two offences we cannot separately identify on and off premises consumption although both are covered by the statutes. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice Reform Ministry of Justice

Security Industry Authority

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often she receives reports from the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in relation to its  (a) activity and  (b) performance; how many individuals and companies were licensed by the SIA for the immobilisation, restriction and removal of vehicles in (i) Wansbeck constituency, (ii) Northumberland and (iii) the UK in each year since 2003; how many complaints were received about such individuals and companies; and how many of these were upheld and resulted in licences being suspended or withdrawn.

Vernon Coaker: In line with the arrangements that exist with all non-departmental public bodies, the Department receives regular updates on performance and activities. The SIA also keeps its stakeholders updated through, for example, its website.
	The SIA issues licences to individual wheel clampers, and not to companies. SIA licence numbers are not recorded at constituency or county level. Since 2003, the SIA has issued the following numbers of vehicle immobilisation licences in each year:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 40 
			 2004 536 
			 2005 61,298 
			 2006 71,387 
			 2007 81,013 
		
	
	The number of individuals who held valid vehicle immobilisation licences as at 19 May 2008 was 1,207.
	Information about the number of complaints made about vehicle immobilisers is not available. In general, however, most complaints received by the SIA about vehicle immobilisation concern issues such as signage, fees and other areas which are outside the control of the SIA. All other complaints need police substantiation and are dealt with confidentially by the SIA's intelligence section.
	To date a total of 10 vehicle immobilisation licences have been revoked. It is not possible to say how many of these were revoked as a direct consequence of complaints received from members of the public.

Work Permits: Health Professions

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which 20 non-EU nationalities received the most work permits for  (a) doctors and  (b) nurses in 2007.

Liam Byrne: The following table shows the 20 nationalities outside the EU, by volume, with the highest number of approved work permit applications from nurses and doctors in the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007. Figures are rounded to nearest five.
	The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
	
		
			  Work permit applications approved between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007 
			   Applications 
			  Doctor  
			 India 220 
			 South Africa 135 
			 China peoples republic of 135 
			 Pakistan 75 
			 Sri Lanka 35 
			 Australia 35 
			 Egypt 35 
			 Bangladesh 20 
			 Nigeria 20 
			 Syrian Arab Republic 20 
			 Myanmar 15 
			 Sudan 15 
			 Malaysia 15 
			 Iraq 10 
			 United States of America 10 
			 Iran 10 
			 Romania 5 
			 Singapore 5 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 5 
			 Ghana 5 
			 Total 910 
			   
			  Nurse  
			 India 3,060 
			 Philippines 1,580 
			 Zimbabwe 1,050 
			 South Africa 540 
			 Nigeria 385 
			 Ghana 195 
			 Nepal 180 
			 Pakistan 170 
			 Australia 155 
			 Mauritius 145 
			 Zambia 135 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 95 
			 Kenya 90 
			 Guyana 85 
			 Jamaica 80 
			 China, Peoples Republic of 75 
			 New Zealand 55 
			 Sri Lanka 35 
			 Malawi 35 
			 Botswana 35 
			 Total 8,520 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Cancer: Urinary System

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Norfolk of 7 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 1001-2W, on cancer: urinary system, in what ways the Kent Cancer Network's Improving Outcomes Guidance implementation plan is not compliant; and when he expects the Kent Cancer Network to have submitted a compliant implementation plan.

Ann Keen: Kent and Medway Cancer Network will develop a compliant urological improving outcomes guidance plan by the end of June 2008 with clear implementation dates for when the service will be delivered.

Dental Services: Manpower

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent qualified dentists were working in the NHS in each  (a) strategic health authority and  (b) primary care trust at the latest date for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The number of dentists on open national health service contracts in England as at 30 June 2006, 30 September 2006, 31 December 2006 and 31 March 2007 are available in table E1 of annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2006-07 report. This information is provided by strategic health authority (SHA) and by primary care trust (PCT).
	This report, published by the Information Centre for health and social care, on 23 August 2007, copies are available in the Library and is also available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607
	The numbers quoted are headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
	The methodology for counting and reporting the NHS dental work force is currently under review. The review, led by analysts at the Information Centre and the Statistical Directorate of the Welsh Assembly Government, working in liaison with the Dental Services Division of the NHS Business Services Authority, aims to ensure that following the first year of the new dental contractual arrangements, the figures provide an appropriate measure of the work force.
	The work force data provided in the 2006-07 report will therefore remain the latest available until this review is complete.
	The Information Centre for health and social care is due to publish a report on dental working hours from 2006-07 and 2007-08 in August 2008. This report will contain some analysis of the full-time equivalent workforce and NHS commitment.

Doctors: Working Hours

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the results of the independent research commissioned by his Department on the effect of the operation of the European Working Time Directive on medical training.

Ann Keen: The independent research on the impact of the European working time directive on medical training by Sheffield university will be published when it is completed in summer 2008. Once available, the report will be placed in the Library.

Doctors: Working Hours

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the Answer of 9th May 2008,  Official Report, column 1258W, on doctors: working hours, what plans he has to propose an extension to the implementation of the European Working Time Directive beyond 2012;
	(2)  pursuant to the Answer of 9th May 2008,  Official Report, column 1257W, on doctors: working hours, what assessment he has made of the merits of deferring full implementation of the 48-hour working week until 2012.

Ann Keen: holding answer 2 June 2008
	The national health service will assess whether 2009 implementation is achievable towards the end of this year, before advising the Department whether any services will need more time.

Epilepsy: Research

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for funding research  (a) into premature deaths from epilepsy and  (b) on NHS epilepsy treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funding a wide range of epilepsy research including aspects relevant to premature death and to treatment. The University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre is active in this field and the Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre is also undertaking some relevant research.
	The NIHR has awarded a programme grant for applied research on defining priorities and communicating evidence about benefit and harm of interventions for people with epilepsy. Currently funded NIHR projects include:
	relative efficacy and cost-effectiveness of different treatment approaches currently used in the management of epilepsy in people with a learning disability; and
	pharmacogenetics of GABAergic mechanisms of benefit and harm in epilepsy.
	The Department is providing national health service support for epilepsy trials and studies through the Clinical Research Network for England. Details are given on the United Kingdom Clinical Research Network Portfolio Database which is available at:
	www.pfsearch.ukcrn.org.uk/.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research. The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant in aid from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
	The MRC's spend on research related to epilepsy was 4.9 million in 2006-07.

NHS: Negligence

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) claims and  (b) settlements for clinical negligence were made in each year from 2001-02 to 2007-08 for cases arising from each hospital in Essex; and how much compensation was paid by each hospital in each year.

Ann Keen: The information requested has been supplied by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA), the first table shows clinical negligence cases in Essex.
	The NHSLA does not record data specifically for each hospital, but rather for the national health service body that runs each hospital. The second table therefore covers claims made against NHS foundation trusts and NHS trusts in Essex.
	Data has also been provided for claims that have been settled by structured settlement but where there are still outstanding (O/S) payments to be made i.e. damages have been agreed to be paid over-time.
	
		
			  Numbers of clinical negligence claims received by the NHSLA for trusts in Essex since 2001-02 
			   Trust 
			  NHSLA notification year  Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust  Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust  Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust  Basiidon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust  Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust  South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust  North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust  Total 
			 2001-02 28 26 27 35 17 4 3 140 
			 2002-03 55 38 23 40 12 5 5 178 
			 2003-04 44 29 29 44 25 2  173 
			 2004-05 51 22 17 39 18 4 4 155 
			 2005-06 45 25 29 27 26  2 154 
			 2006-07 34 13 29 29 28 1 2 136 
			 2007-08 34 22 33 27 28 2 2 148 
			 Total 291 175 187 241 154 18 18 1,084 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of closed clinical negligence claims settled with damages by settlement year for trusts in Essex since 2001-02 as at 31 March 2008 
			   Trust 
			   Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust  Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust  Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust  Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			  NHSLA notification year  Number of claims  Damages paid  Number of claims  Damages paid  Number of claims  Damages paid  Number of claims  Damages paid 
			 2001-02 7 283,650 6 178,380 8 256,009 10 442,219 
			 2002-03 20 1,004,120 11 2,972,157 21 1,586,175 12 432,417 
			 2003-04 24 894,423 27 542,813 18 766,945 15 425,655 
			 2004-05 22 770,165 14 515,104 5 111,280 20 1,866,654 
			 2005-06 25 2,703,123 15 312,300 15 914,325 16 367,076 
			 2006-07 21 608,179 13 1,893,750 12 6,365,269 19 3,169,314 
			 2007-08 6 223,750 11 210,307 8 139,500 5 167,984 
			 Total 125 6,487,411 97 6,624,811 87 10,139,503 97 6,871,320 
		
	
	
		
			   Trust 
			   Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust  South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust  North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust  Total 
			  NHSLA notification year  Number of claims  Damages paid  Number of claims  Damages paid  Number of claims  Damages paid  Number of claims  Damages paid 
			 2001-02 7 897,123 2 92,000 2 50,573 42 2,199,954 
			 2002-03 12 710,500 6 262,797   82 6,968,167 
			 2003-04 16 816,881 2 14,500 1 65,000 103 3,526,217 
			 2004-05 14 186,563 2 1,889,783 1 5,000 78 5,344,549 
			 2005-06 15 3,412,955 2 99,000 2 285,000 90 8,093,778 
			 2006-07 10 1,306,718 1 26,382 3 175,000 79 13,544,612 
			 2007-08 9 227,000 2 118,449 1 43,500 42 1,130,490 
			 Total 83 7,557,739 17 2,502,911 10 624,073 516 40,807,768 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of structured settlement claims settled with damages by settlement year for trusts in Essex since 2001-02 as at 31 March 2008 
			   Trust 
			   Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust  Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			  NHSLA notification year  Number of claims  Damages paid  0/S damages  Total Damages  Number of claims  Damages paid  0/S damages  Total damages 
			 2002-03 1 955,956 1,044,044 2,000,000 1 853,488 1,696,512 2,550,000 
			 2004-05 1 1,263,078 2,336,922 3,600,000 
			 2005-06 
			 2007 08 
			 Total 1 955,956 1,044,044 2,000,000 2 2116,566| 4,033,434 6,150,000 
		
	
	
		
			   Trust 
			   Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust  South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 
			  NHSLA notification year  Number of claims  Damages paid  O/S damages  Total damages  Number of claims  Damages paid  0/S damages  Total damages 
			 2002-03 
			 2004-05 1 409,677 240,323 650,000 1 1,270,186 2,198,464 3,468,650 
			 2005-06 2 2,681,111 4,518,889 7,200,000 
			 2007-08 1 1,369,799 2,601,201 3,971,000 
			 Total 4 4,460,587 7,360,413 11,821,000 1 1,270,186 2,198,464 3,468,650 
		
	
	
		
			   Total 
			  NHSLA notification year  Number of claims  Damages paid  0/S damages  Total damages 
			 2002-03 2 1,809,444 2,740,556 4,550,000 
			 2004-05 3 2,942,941 4,775,709 7,718,650 
			 2005-06 2 2,681,111 4,518,889 7,200,000 
			 2007-08 1 1,369,799 2,601,201 3,971,000 
			 Total 8 8,803,295 14,636,355 23,439,650

Northwick Park Hospital: Maternal Mortality

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Healthcare Commission's report into maternal deaths at Northwick Park Hospital; and what recommendations have been made to trusts on  (a) optimum models of management and organisation of maternity services and  (b) the use of agency personnel;
	(2)  whether he has assessed the effect on the performance of NHS trusts of the Healthcare Commission's recommendations on the monitoring of quality and performance of maternity services by NHS trusts following its investigation into maternal deaths at Northwick Park Hospital.

Ann Keen: The Healthcare Commission (HCC) report into the maternal deaths at Northwick Park hospital was published on the 23 August 2006. We welcomed the report and gave it careful consideration.
	Our framework document, 'Maternity Matters: Choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service', published in April 2007, took account of the HCC report along with other evidence. It is the delivery mechanism for the Government's maternity commitments and is the strategy for modernised maternity services, placing safety, quality and improving standards at the very heart of its vision. Copies of the framework document have been placed in the Library and can also be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_073312
	The use of agency personnel is a matter best determined by local trusts in light of local circumstances.
	The HCC undertook a review of maternity services during 2007 covering all trusts providing maternity services, and published its findings in January 2008. The review assessed performance against a range if issues and indicators, covering clinical focus, women-centred care and efficiency and capability. The data enable trusts and commissioners to compare and benchmark their outcomes and performance against others. A national report containing detailed analysis of the review is expected to be published by the Healthcare Commission this summer.

Pregnancy Book

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the Answer of 25 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 2045-7W, on the Pregnancy Book, what criteria must be satisfied before the Pregnancy Book is revised.

Ann Keen: The Department regularly considers updating its publications and the only criterion for updating a publication such as the Pregnancy Book is that there is sufficient need to update the material within it to make publishing an update a sensible use of resources.